The present invention relates to the field of containers for administering medical fluids to patients. More particularly, the present invention relates to a port closure system for intravenous (IV) fluid containers.
Access ports are commonly used in infusion solution containers to administer solutions to a patient, or to add medicaments or other solutions to the container prior to administration. Current solution containers typically may include a dedicated outlet port for solution administration to a patient and a dedicated inlet port for the addition of diluent or other ingredients to the container.
The outlet port is intended to be coupled to an administrative set and is therefore commonly referred to as the administrative port, whereas the inlet port is designed to permit the injection of therapeutic agents and nutrients into the partially filled container and is sometimes identified as the additive port. Such a container may contain a partial filling of a sterile solution such as saline or dextrose to function as a diluent for the injected additive. The diluted drug or nutrient is then administered to a patient by means of the administrative set that may be either directly or indirectly (i.e., through another solution set) coupled to the patient.
Maintaining the sterility of the fluid to be administered is of major importance. It has been found, however, that careless or inattentive handling of a solution container, as connections are made for fluid administration or additive introduction, may create significant risks of contamination. Such risks may be increased where emergency situations are presented that require quick manipulation of the various components.
Autoclave sterilization of the assembled container and ports is time and energy intensive. The innermost parts of the assembled ports, contact surfaces and any air voids therebetween that the steam cannot reach are more difficult to autoclave than the rest of the container. The temperature and/or the duration of the autoclave cycle must be increased for the difficult to reach areas to be properly sterilized.
Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide an additive port closure assembly to reduce the possibility of contamination during storage and use.
A further object of the invention is to provide an additive port closure assembly to improve the ease of handling when fluids are to be withdrawn or introduced.
Another object of the invention is to provide an additive port closure assembly to increase the ease and efficiency of manufacture.
A further object of the invention is to provide an administrative port closure assembly to reduce the possibility of contamination during storage and use.
A further object of the invention is to provide an administrative port closure assembly to improve the ease of handling when fluids are to be withdrawn or introduced.
A further object of the invention is to provide an administrative port closure assembly that is adaptable to receive administrative sets with spikes or pins of different diameters with consistent insertion and removal forces and without leakage.
Another object of the invention is to provide an administrative port closure assembly to increase the ease and efficiency of manufacture.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.